HIV Ireland Highlights 41 Percent Rise in HIV Cases Among Women and Calls for Action on Stigma This World AIDS Day

Charity warns that persistent stigma is undermining progress in prevention, testing and treatment ahead of World AIDS Day 

Dublin, 1st December – To mark World AIDS Day today (December 1st), HIV Ireland is calling for a focus on tackling persistent HIV-related stigma, warning that it continues to undermine critical progress in HIV prevention, testing and treatment. The call comes as new national figures released by the Health Protection Surveillance Centre (HPSC) shows a 41% rise in first-time HIV diagnoses among women in 2024, compared to the previous year. The sharpest increase has been observed in women aged 45-49, a rate that is now equal to that of men in the same age group.